Page 31: of Marine News Magazine (March 2022)

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Feature

Pushboats, Tugs, Barges

CURRENT DIRECT:

A Transition Effort in Europe

By Tom Ewing he European Union is b based on a standard 20-foot underwriting a project, shipping container, maximiz-

Tcalled Current Direct, to fa- ing energy and performance.

cilitate and hasten the transition to bat- “Energy as service” is the central project tery powered commercial maritime vessels. It’s funded idea. This includes development of strategically located by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and in- battery swapping stations at port locations. An e-vessel novation program. It also has 13 private sector partners, needing new power would dock at a such a station. Then, including Blackstone Resources, Spear Power Systems and instead of plugging into a charger, a crane would remove

Wärtsilä. It has a quick timeline; a demonstration project a spent battery pack and replace it with one fully charged. should be ready by 2023. Each pack will be about the size of a 20-foot shipping con-

New thinking and innovation run across every aspect of tainer. The vessel, repowered, would move back into the this project, from the batteries to a loading and replace- workstream. That re-power timing goal is ? ve minutes.

ment system to recycling. The planned 2023 demonstration project will be at the

One goal is to develop multiple novel battery production Port of Rotterdam. The modular built E-Pusher vessel, technologies. Blackstone Resources will be developing a currently in use as a transport barge, will be the demon- novel 3D printed cell manufacturing process which enables stration vessel. Again, to meet a ? ve minute challenge.

thicker electrodes to increase cell level energy density. An Bigger picture, EU authorities believe this project will advanced composite material being developed by the Uni- have payoffs in many areas, from energy to GHG reduc- versity of Brussels will reduce pack level costs and increase tions to triggering new investments in innovation and em- energy density. Spear Power Systems and Wartsila are de- ployment in the European marine transport and battery veloping the ? nal “battery pack,” a fully integrated package energy storage sectors.

Image: Current Direct www.marinelink.com MN 31|